A self-test to evaluate your selling potential
Are you right for the job?
Do you think you’ve got what it takes to bring in those new referrals? There’s an easy way to tell. Michael Tortorici, RPh, MS, president of AlternaCare of America in Dayton, OH, says that answering the following seven questions as a self-evaluation will shed some light on whether you’ve got the skills and mindset to be a successful sales rep for your company:
1. Do you want to sell? The most obvious question you need to answer is whether you really have the desire to go out and sell, says Tortorici. "Some people really don’t," he says. And if you don’t, you’re better off passing the buck.
2. Will you wilt under the spotlight? You should enjoy doing public speaking and feel that you are good at it.
"You have to present your program to people and feel comfortable doing it," he says.
3. Can you get to the point? Many times, you’ll have to come right out and ask for business. You should feel comfortable doing so, which really is nothing more than closing the sale.
4. How’s your schedule? If every time you go out on a sales call you fret about what you’re not getting done at the office, sales may not be for you.
5. What are your options? Are you better off hiring a salesperson for $35,000/$40,000 a year (plus incentives), or would it be better to hire a pharmacist or some other individual to fill in for you while you’re out selling?
"Is the cost-benefit significant?" asks Tortorici.
6. Are you organized? Do you have the structure and discipline that’s necessary to stay on the phone as long as it takes to get the job done?
7. Do you take it personally? Nobody closes 100% of their sales calls, so rejection comes with the territory. How you handle rejection will play a big role in whether you enjoy your new responsibility.
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